Model who assaulted cops had also brutally attacked 80-yr-old in Kolkata

Days after the Versova police were attacked by a 35-year-old model, they learnt of this past case of assault; frustrated cops said they have not arrested her because senior officials stopped them

Three days after the Versova police were humiliated at the hands of a drunk model who had abused and assaulted several of the officers, they have learnt that the woman has another assault case registered against her in Kolkata.

In August, Devdutta Banerjee had allegedly assaulted her tenant until she fell unconscious and had to be admitted in hospital

mid-day had reported yesterday (‘Drunk model abuses, assaults hapless cops’) how the 35-year-old repeatedly attacked the officers as they took her to Versova police station, while they did not even attempt to restrain her.

The police were wary of retaliating as the commissioner had recently sent a circular asking cops to be on their best behaviour with citizens, especially women. They did not even arrest her, as senior officials had instructed them to let her go after filing an FIR.

However, a disgruntled policeman from the Versova police station told this paper, “Even though she hit some of our officers, we couldn’t do anything. We should at least arrest her for humiliating us in such a manner, but senior officials told us to let her go after filing a complaint.”

This incident had happened late on Friday night, as the model, Devdutta Banerjee got into an argument with her landlady over the rent for her apartment. She has been living in a flat at Inlaks Nagar Co-operative Housing Society for the past six months but had not paid the rent in a while.

When the landlady went to ask her for the money, she allegedly began to abuse her. This is when the cops turned up to break up the fight.

Violent historyHowever, the tables were turned in Kolkata, where Devdutta was the landlady arguing with an elderly tenant. In August, Devdutta and her boyfriend visited her home in Jodhpur Park, Gariahat.

An 80-year-old — a Manju Kajtogi — had been renting one of Devdutta’s apartments there for over 40 years, but the model wanted her to vacate the premises. The matter had already been lodged in a court dispute for four years, but the two women had a heated argument on August 20, after Devdutta cut off the water supply to the flat.

When the older woman complained about it, Devdutta allegedly hit her on the head and kicked her several times, till the elderly lady fell unconscious and had to be admitted in hospital. An FIR was lodged against Devdutta at the Lake police station in Kolkata under relevant sections of the IPC.